Passing On Knowledge
by storyteller362
Summary: A nine year old Bella finds herself telling her parents exactly what happened in the caverns. How else was she supposed to get out swim lessons for the rest of her life? Reviews are appreciated!


**Authors Note: Hey, all this is my attempt at writing Bella explain to her parents about her being a mermaid. I'm running a quick opinion on my Rikki piece. I'm going to end up posting hers in the crossover to align with the details from Mako Mermaids since I had an idea regarding that. Thoughts on that? For this you have to stretch your imagination a little, I'm not sure when the swim unit starts in school, particularly around the world so I just figured nine. Without further ado, please enjoy!**

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The blonde looked down at the water and then at her teacher and the girls in her gym class. From the block, the nine-year-old stared intently at the water. It had been about a couple of months since she had found those caves and had her tail. One long week since she had faked being sick with it raining and then she was able to go to school.

"Miss Hartley, you have to start doing laps or wade in the shallow end," said Ms. Watson, her voice gentle yet firm. "Otherwise I will fail you."

"I'll take that F," she said in a small voice before climbing off the block. In the pool all of the girls looked at each other as Bella sat on the bench. It didn't look that much fun anyway as Ms. Watson came over and sat next to her. From the pool the other girls watched the instructor as a few glanced her way before turning back to the lesson. She saw them splashing each other and giggling. It wasn't that much fun she told herself.

Bella had just moved here not long ago and already refusing to work with each other in class. That hardly seemed appropriate from the new student. The pretty blond looked up at her teacher as she didn't know what to say. Then spoke up to the teacher.

"It's something embarrassing," she said after a minute. Her cheeks bright red as she avoided looking at her teacher as she could feel the tears pool at her eyes.

Miss Angela Watson looked down at her very concerned. She hated to see her students cry and to push for something embarrassing, it might be labeled as a form of harassment. Avoiding that lawsuit waiting to happen, she just looked sympathy toward her, not daring to touch her.

"If you don't know how to swim that's why you are here," said Angela trying not to probe too deeply. Maybe it was just an issue with the other girls. She knew that it was hard with peer pressure now days. She was nine but sometimes a young girls period starts then maybe that could have been it. She watched as Bella looked up at her if a bit shyly.

"It's the chlorine, it makes me itchy and my eyes feel like watering. Like right now, I think I'm allergic to it."

Well that explained the pure fear in her eyes as soon as they went to the pool area. And the fact that she didn't take off her cover up until she had to go up on the block her swim shoes in tact. Bella didn't have to fake her eyes being red as she already felt like crying. Her teacher looked into her eyes curious but seemed to be satisfied with that answer.

"I'll have to discuss this with the nurse and your parents. Would you like to go down now?"

Bella found herself thinking to herself. Her parents, how on earth was she supposed to explain this?! She grew a tail every time she touched water.

Then did Isabella Hartley make a decision she was going to tell them. Everything. No detail left out. Maybe they would understand she thought. Then the girls behind her started to talk as Bella could overhear them talk. _What a freak, I wish I could have got out of swimming, you think she's lying?_ Taking a breath Bella smiled at the girls around her before going to the nurse's office. That was her haven as it never seemed to really change from school to school. This was just another temporary place she can stay she stayed at before moving again.

The nurse was nice and the room sterile as a hospital as the nurse gave her an aspirin and told her to lay down. She was lucky that was all a school nurse could do as she found her book and read until one of her parents came to pick her up. It was a nice break at least as she focused on the latest adventures the Boxcar Children went on. Then finally her mother showed up.

"Bella are you alright?" asked Christina Hartley as she saw her daughter.

"I'm fine mom, I couldn't be around the pool," she said quickly hoping she didn't get questioned in front of the nurse. She didn't want her to know about swimming in pools before now.

"We think she might be allergic to the chlorine in the water," said the nurse, "I'd arrange a meeting with your family doctor right away."

Christina looked puzzled before nodding and leading her daughter out of the school. That didn't seem right as Bella would swim at pools before and have no problem. The oceans and lakes was no issue of course since it didn't have the chemicals inside it.

The ride home was silent as Bella had grabbed her books and worked on her homework. Fractions were easy and the reading assignment not bad. It was history she didn't really like.

Her mother kept glancing at her daughter wondering what was wrong. She was never this quiet before as she drove back to the house they were renting. Then thought better of it as she went and picked up a pizza that was sure to make her smile.

"Extra cheese and anchovies please," said Bella as Christina shook her head. Of course, she'd want that as for some reason she had developed a taste for it. Could be worse as she could want pineapple on her pizza. No one in their family was a fan of that particular topping.

Her daughter was nine and going to be ten, if anything this was the time where she had to give the puberty talk. Oh dear, thought Christina, she had to give her daughter the puberty talk. Where babies come from and periods and boys. She was going to be prepared as she picked up the stuff for root beer floats too.

Finally they reached home as Lachlan Hartley grinned at them.

"There's both my girls," he said hugging them and kissing Bella's head and then kissed his wife. "I see we have pizza for dinner and root beer floats for dessert. Sounds perfect."

Bella nodded happily as they sat down to eat. The butterflies in her stomach growing more and more as she didn't know how to say it. It had to come out though. She had to tell them she chanted in her mind. She had to tell them as her parents were smiling talking about something that happened at work.

Then finally when dinner and dessert was out of the way; did Lachlan and Christina Hartley anxiously have Bella sit down in front of them. Their talk had to be done as the air began to feel heavy around them.

"Bella, I told your dad what happened at school today. I don't know how to say this but I understand how you're feeling. When I was your age it was awkward to be around other girls because your body is changing and everything. I think it's time to sit down and have The Talk with you."

The young girl blinked as she didn't know where this was going before she swallowed. Did they have an idea of what happened? Then again maybe they didn't as she held her cup of water in front of her.

"Before you do that can I tell you something?" asked Bella now. "I don't want you to be mad and please don't take me to the doctor. I think I have it handled and everything is okay. I didn't do anything wrong and I don't want to get rid of it."

"Honey what are you talking about?" asked Lachlan as he gently rubbed her shoulder.

She couldn't take it as she dumped her water on her legs as it dribbled onto the couch. Both of her parents looked at her concerned as the tail grew out of nowhere as the water touched her skin.

Christina felt faint as the orange scales grew all over her legs melding them together. Her top half also had the scales along her bust area. This wasn't the kind of puberty she was thinking of. What happened to her daughter? She yelped before jumping back away from her as if she could catch it, like the flu.

Lachlan looked startled but instead of backing away from her, he got closer as he touched her tail. That must have been heavy for her to have replace her legs. Fascinated he put a hand on her head as he kissed her head.

"Oh darling when, how, why did this happen?" he asked as she let out a shaky breath.

"Two months ago," she mumbled hoping that she wasn't in trouble.

"A doctor," said Christina's. "We take her to a doctor. Who am I kidding, what kind of doctor could cure this? A marine biologist? And here I thought it was an early onset of puberty." She threw her arms up in her air.

"Mom, I can't go to one of them," she said almost tearfully. "I don't want to get rid of it."

"I don't think…"

"Christina," said Lachlan as he pulled her elbow back over to them. "Bella has a handle on this I don't think there's anything we can do. What are we going to say to a marine biologist or anything anyway? I'll keep her secret and I think you should too."

"So you'll keep my secret?" asked Bella as her dad tried her tears on her cheek.

"I know I will," he said as he looked at his wife. This was too big to ignore as this way they could keep her away from pools and rainy days. Apparently now unnecessary swim lessons in gym classes. If anything it might help her grow more confident.

Christina sighed herself as she looked at her daughter who looked so frightened. She couldn't scare her own daughter into being afraid to leave the house. In a way she was glad that talk she was so afraid of having was not happening right now. Their blue eyes met as she nodded in agreement. She didn't want her daughter to be scared of her spilling something so huge.

"Of course I'll keep your secret sweetie," said Christina as she smoothed her daughters hair comfortingly. "We all will."

"We'll stick together as a family, you don't have to worry about keeping things from us," said her dad.

Bella leaned against her father as he hugged her from behind. Everything was going to be okay, she thought, as she looked at her parents puzzled now. "What did you want to talk to me about before?"

By now her tail dried as her parents shared a wide-eyed look above her head. They shook their head, if they could hold it off, they would.

"You know how about we get around round of root beer floats," said her mother as she kissed her head.

"Yay!" said Bella not caring about the talk her mother wanted to share. At least now there was no secret between her and her parents. Well, there was the matter her powers that she had. Part of her had to tell them and the other part wanted to keep that a secret. Maybe she could keep that to herself right now. She grinned at them before making a break for the kitchen. More root beer floats for her tonight!


End file.
